Can't be more happier: Iyer celebrates first win as T20I captain after India defeat Zimbabwe

India's T20I captain Shreyas Iyer celebrated his maiden victory as skipper after the Men in Blue comfortably defeated Zimbabwe by seven wickets in Harare. This win comes after a challenging start to Iyer's captaincy, with previous series losses to Ireland and England. Chasing a modest target of 126, India's innings was ignited by a blistering 18-ball half-century from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. His fearless 50 set the tone, paving the way for Iyer (28*) and Tilak Varma to guide India to victory in just 13.2 overs.

Earlier in the day, India's bowlers, led by pacer Mayank Yadav, restricted Zimbabwe to 125/7. Yadav was instrumental, claiming figures of 2/18, with Prince Yadav also contributing with 2/19. India's disciplined bowling kept the Zimbabwean batters under pressure throughout their innings. Mayank Yadav was subsequently awarded the Man of the Match for his impactful bowling performance.

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Exceptional. They were tremendous in their execution. Can't be more happier to get my first win. I was anticipating the bounce, and there was a decent amount of bounce. Exceptional start given by Mayank. Didn't give them room. Vaibhav came out and gave us an exceptional start with the bat. They analysed the pitch and started building partnerships, and that's when I wanted to rotate my bowlers as well. He is fearless; the way he approaches the innings is amazing. He possesses immense confidence when he steps onto the field.

Iyer expressed his elation, calling it a "special moment" to register his first win as captain. He lauded the team's execution, highlighting Mayank Yadav's bowling and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's "fearless" batting. "He possesses immense confidence when he steps onto the field," Iyer said of the young batter. Mayank Yadav shared his excitement, stating, "It always feels great when you contribute in a win. So it was a very special moment for me." He also praised the pitch conditions, noting the helpful bounce and seam movement.

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It always feels great when you contribute in a win. So it was a very special moment for me. The wicket was very good. After playing in India, I was enjoying bowling here. It's my first time here in Zimbabwe. The bounce I got and the seam movement was great help for me. We got a good start from the very first ball and the way they [Prince and Ashok] were squeezing from their end was really good.